Hidden Secret
by Picoroo
Summary: Ikkaku comes to terms with Yumichika's secret, while his best friend is unconcious. A Follow-on from my other story 'Proud' probably best if you read that first.


**It's one in the morning here, but I just had to finish this and get it up. This is the follow on to my other story 'Proud' It would probably make more sense if you read that one first, so you know what happened before and why everyone is in the fourth division. Once again this is based in the new filler Arc of the anime. And I have just read the titles of the next three episodes, and if they don't show Yumichika's zanpaktou, I will not be happy. Poor Yumi barely gets enough screen time as it is (In my opinion) they better show him soon.**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Bleach, but sadly I don't. But I do own Aimi, who appears briefly further down ^^

* * *

**

The shinigami of the fourth division, and all other divisions for that matter, cowered in fear, as the eleventh division third seat stalked the hallways. Well, technically he was limping, but he was doing his very best not to show it. He was battered and bloody, and the aura surrounding him was murderous. He had managed to beat his Zanpaktou, after a lot of trouble and destruction, which he knew he would be paying for, and he was now searching for someone who could tell him where his best friend was.

"Ah," Found someone. "Unohana-Tachiou!" He said loudly, alerting the attention of the fourth squad Captain.

"Ikkaku-san. I believe you are here for treatment." She spoke quietly, and against the noise of the busy hallway, Ikkaku almost had to strain his ears to hear her properly.

"Treatment can come later. Where's Yumichika?" He asked, and for a moment, he thought he saw the captains calm smile falter, but he brushed it off, thinking -hoping- it was just his imagination.

"Follow me."

Ikkaku followed the captain through the winding corridors, until they came at last to a stop outside a door at the end of the hall. It was a area not as crowded as the main part of the division, and a lot quieter, almost silent save the odd healer scurrying to and from the few rooms that lined the hallway.

"Ikkaku-san." Unohana said, stopping him from opening the door. "Before you go in, there is something you must know."

"What is it?" Ikkaku asked, impatient to get inside and talk to Yumichika.

"He's still unconscious." Okay, so to _see _Yumichika. "And... we don't know when, or even if he's going to wake up."

Ikkaku's eyes widened, and he froze. _Not going to...no..._ The world disappeared, deafening silence filling his ears. Sure he was mad at his friend. He had lied to him, he had a kidou Zanpaktou and he never said a word. But this...? He'd never wanted this to happen, ever.

"H-how?" He managed to choke out. "He injuries... weren't that...."

"It's not his injuries." Unohana cut him off. "Ever since he arrived he's been drawing further and further into himself. His reiatsu has been steadily dropping since he fell into unconsciousness just before Ichigo brought him here. Ichigo was almost frantic when he arrived here with him, worrying about why he could feel the reiatsu weakening." She explained.

"Why...?" Ikkaku breathed, staring at the door. _This can't be happening. It just can't. They're joking. I'm willing to forgive everything if I walk in there and Yumi's sitting up and grinning at me like usual, or even fussing over his hair or whatever, just please let this be a joke. _One look at Unohana's solemn expression erased any hope he may have had. But why? Why would he be...?

Without a word Ikkaku reached forward, placing a bloody hand on the cold metal doorknob, slowly turning it and pushing the door open.

The sight he was faced with made his stomach twist violently.

Yumichika was lying on the single bed, his wounds and broken bones bandaged up, and he was breathing slowly and shallowly. Even in the fading light of the day, Ikkaku could see his face was paler than usual, almost white, but his features were peaceful and calm.

"His condition may improve if you talk to him." Unohana said softly, as the bald third seat moved to sit on the chair next to the bed. Unohana quickly healed his major injuries, bandaging them up, before backing out of the room. "I'll send someone in later to check up on you and finish healing. I'll leave you be." With that the door clicked closed, leaving Ikkaku in silence staring at the patients pale face, save the quiet shallow breathing of his friend.

The click drew him out of his trance, and he looked up at the door, realising now he was alone.

He dropped his head into his hands. "Hell Yumi... What have you done to yourself?" He murmured. "It's not meant to be this way round, I'm always the one getting myself hurt, you're meant to be the careful one. And now look at you." He looked up at the pale, peaceful face. "All because of those Zanpaktou. Who would have thought? They're the ones who are meant to be fighting with us, not against us. And now look what's happened.

"Why are you drawing into yourself Yumi? What's so bad about this world? If this is about your Zanpaktou, I'm not mad. Well maybe a little, but what can you expect, after all these years we've been together, you can't trust me enough to tell me what your sword can really do. I've trusted you with the secret of my Bankai, only you and Renji know about that, that I know of anyway. Why can't you trust me with this. I can understand you not wanting to tell the rest of the division, and even the captain, but me? What was going through your head? Is it because it's kidou? I think you mentioned that. No, you definitely mentioned that. You said it's everything you are. What did you mean? You're a fighter through and through, I know that, or at least I think I did.

"Now I think about it, I suppose it's been pretty obvious, why didn't I notice? You've never really had the stature of a fighter, like me, or the captain, though I could never imagine you any other way, you've always been kinda scrawny, you're built for kidou. And yet you've reached fifth seat, could have been fourth, without using Kidou or your full release. Most people around here are one or the other, but you've managed both. Amazing really." He sighed, reaching forward to take Yumichika's hand in his own, squeezing gently.

"Wake up, please wake up. You're my best friend, I don't want to lose you. I really can't imagine life without you there. Sure you can be annoying sometimes, but I'm sure I annoy you, probably more than you show, but I - I-" He stopped, trying to compose himself. "Come back from wherever you are, don't leave me, please don't leave me." He dropped his head, sighing. And quiet knock on the door made him look up as one of the healers timidly poked her head round the door.

"Madarame-san, My name is Aimi, I've been sent to heal your minor injuries." She said quietly, looking at the floor. "Also Tachiou would like to talk to you."

"Fine." Ikkaku said, standing up. He looked at the small girl by the door. Her small build and large blue eyes made her look a lot like a child. She quickly backed out the room when she noticed him looking at her. Ikkaku shook his head, sighing in exasperation.

He looked down at his friend, still holding his hand. Glancing back to make sure nobody was there, he leant down, pressing his lips against Yumichika's forehead, before letting go and moving to exit the room.

But a dry and cracked voice stopped him as he reached the door.

"Ik...kaku?"

* * *

"You really should go back." The soft voice from the feathered Zanpaktou echoed in his ears.

"But I don't want to. I'm really starting to like it here." Yumichika murmured back, closing his eyes against the soft breeze of his inner world.

"Look, I know we may finally be starting to get along, but I don't want you here all the time." Kujaku said, sitting down on a log in the middle of the breezy field. "They want you to wake up, you can't stay here forever."

"Why would I want to go back? You heard what Ikkaku said, and it may sound cowardly, but I don't want to face him just yet."

"Why prolong it? You're going to have to eventually, you might as well get it over with." Yumichika opened his eyes to look at his Zanpaktou, eyebrows raised. "Besides, the weather here's getting worse, The least you can do is get it over with quickly, he'll forgive you, I know it, and I don't want to spend too long in the rain."

"But..." Yumichika trailed off as he heard another voice reach his ears.

'_please wake up.....I really can't imagine life without you.....come back...don't leave me, please don't leave me.'_

"Ikka...ku?" Yumichika murmured, eyes wide.

"Go back, and maybe it won't rain at all. If I'm lucky."

Yumichika stood, staring up at the darkening sky. _Fine, I'm coming._

The next thing he knew, he was lying on a bed, his muscles aching and a sharp pain in his shoulder whenever he breathed in. But all this was irrelevant when he felt a soothing warmth on his forehead. It was fleeting, but it dulled the pain and aches.

Opening his eyes, and attempting to focus against the harsh light from somewhere to his right, he turned his head, seeing the vague shape of Ikkaku walking towards the door. Yumichika knew he needed to stop him, to tell him he was awake, but for some reason, he couldn't get his voice to work, his throat dry and not wanting to work.

After what seemed like forever, though in reality it was a few seconds, he managed to choke out one word.

"Ik...kaku?"

* * *

Ikkaku spun around, eyes wide, at the quiet voice. His gaze fell on Yumichika's face, eyes open and looking at him.

"Yumi!" He tore back to the bed, leaning over his friend, a large grin splitting his face. "You're awake!"

Yumichika simply smiled, He didn't have enough energy to do much else.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." Ikkaku scolded, unable to wipe the grin of his face.

"Sorry." Yumichika whispered, "for everything." He closed his eyes, waiting for the reply he knew was coming.

"I don't care about that, I really don't, just know you can trust me with anything, I'm not going to drop you over something so trivial. Hell, I probably wouldn't even if you did something really bad, just don't scare me like that again okay?"

Yumichika nodded, moving his good arm to push himself up. He struggled a little, before Ikkaku moved to help him, holding his weight while moving the pillows so he could lean against them. Once the shinigami was settled, Ikkaku spoke again.

"I don't care that your swords a kidou type, you can't control that. Nobody can, why would I be mad at you over that?" He asked. Yumichika sighed.

"You've always been against kidou, right from day one, I just thought..." He trailed off, looking at his hands.

"It's alright, it doesn't matter, though I am curious as to what you can actually do." Ikkaku grinned, sitting on the edge of the bed. He sighed again, he had been sighing way too much lately. "I should probably go and get Unohana-Tachiou, the girl said she wanted to see me, and we need someone to check you over."

"And you for that matter." Yumichika raised his eyebrows at the bandages that covered most of the bald shinigami's body.

"Yeah, well..." He trailed off, standing up, moving for the door.

Yumichika quick shot out hand, ignoring the pain, and grabbed his, pulling him back and into a hug, painfully wrapping his arms around his shoulders, burying his face in his best friend's neck. Ikkaku was shocked at first, not really knowing what was happening, but it didn't take long for him to crawl onto the bed, wrapping his arms around the small shinigami tightly, burying his own face in Yumichika's neck, breathing in the sweet scent.

"Thanks." He heard Yumichika murmur.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Ikkaku muttered back.

And that was how they stayed, quietly enjoying the other's warmth and knowing that everything was going to be okay.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, Sorry if the ending's a bit rushed, I'm tired now and want to sleep, but I had to finish, so there will be many, many mistakes in there. If I have time, I'll go over it and correct those, as well as trying to write a better ending. It's sappy I know, but I'm in a really sappy mood, and this is the result. **

**I hope you all like, cookies for all those that review ^^**


End file.
